Chapter 36

Ally

“Are you really ready? What if you find out something you don’t like?” Kelly asked, turning in the passenger seat to stare at me.

I gripped the wheel with both hands and swallowed. The lump in my throat had started at my apartment and only grown larger with each passing mile. My newfound bravery was starting to dissipate and I thought about turning back. Had I been alone, I would have. Kelly’s presence and support worked as a calming influence

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. No matter what I find out, I can face it and work through it. Look at everything I’ve endured in my life and I’m still standing. Neither one of these guys has the ability to break me. Gabe’s either going to come clean or he isn’t. He’s either going to move on with me or reject me. I won’t die from it.”

The word ‘reject’ was like a knife to the heart.

“He’s crazy about you, from what I’ve seen and heard, he really is. He won’t reject you. You heard him out when the whole Faith thing came out.”

I wiggled my head from side to side and steered right. “Maybe. I’m not sure about anything anymore. Even our physical attraction to each other. It seems to have cooled.”

“Stop,” Kelly said, then reached over and squeezed my arm. “Stop beating yourself up about this. Let’s leave the past in the past. Now is the time for action.” She gave another thumbs up in a gesture of solidarity.

“Right, so I can do this. It’s totally fine. Totally fine,” I murmured, then repeated that a couple times. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. “I’m not crazy. Even though I’m repeating myself. I guess if I start sucking my thumb and drooling, you should worry.”

Kelly threw back her head and laughed.

The streets were pretty empty at this time of night, and the snow came down slowly, coating the sides of the road. My car made tracks through it and a red light allowed me time to catch my breath. And consider turning around again.

“You know this will all be okay,” Kelly said, leaning towards me. She peered up into my face and smiled. “I swear, everything’s going to turn out just fine.”

“Thanks, Kel, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. God, I’m still not sure I’m even ready for a relationship or whatever the hell this thing with Gabe is.”

I accelerated when the light turned green and crawled through the snow-covered streets. Every second brought Gabe’s apartment closer. Any minute now I’d walk up to his door, knock and see him again. For the first time since Matthew had burst into the kitchen and ruined it all.

I turned the corner onto his road and stopped a few feet behind a gorgeous silver Bentley.

“That looks out of place for the neighborhood,” Kelly said, squinting at the luxury car. “I’m surprised it still has its rims.”

“You’re not suggesting people steal in the downtown area, are you?” It wasn’t a serious question, but we always joke around this way when times were tense.

“Of course not,” Kelly winked. “Do you have a crowbar or know how to hotwire a car?”

“Sorry, I left the crowbar in my assault kit at home. The hotwiring, yeah, no, I don’t think that’s gonna happen either.” I plumped my lips, then grabbed my bag from Kelly’s lap and brought out my mirror. I stared at my reflection and grimaced. “I probably should’ve brushed my teeth.”

“You’re stalling.”

“Busted.” I took out a tube of lipstick and put some pink on, then studied my reflection again. It was marginally better. Not that he’d care much if he was about to slam the door in my face.

Butterflies battered the lining of my stomach and I gripped the arm rest. This was it. I nodded to Kelly then reached for the door handle.

“Wait,” she hissed.

I froze and looked at her. “What’s wrong?”

She pointed at the Bentley in front of us, then slumped down to avoid notice. I followed the line of her finger and gasped. Faith stood beneath a street light, looking ready to pop and a man stood beside her. Gabe.

I grappled with the handle and hit the power window about an inch. Bits of their conversation drifted through the gently falling snow to my ears.

“Just give me the car keys, Faith.”

“I’m pregnant, not a cripple,” she replied, then patted him on the cheek. Embarrassment and rage washed over me. So, they were back together after all. I’d been played.

“Maybe it’s not what it looks like,” Kelly whispered, but I could tell from her mortified look that she didn’t believe it either.

“I’m taking them, whether you like it or not.” Gabe grabbed the keys from her hand and unlocked the car. He walked Faith around to the other side, then helped her in and closed the door.

“Okay, maybe it’s exactly what it looks like,” Kelly murmured, then covered her mouth with her hand.

Gabe got into the driver’s side, then closed the door and started the car. He drove off down the road and I was left staring after him, with my best friend waiting for my reaction.

“Follow him,” she said, straightening in the car seat. “Come on, let’s find out what’s really going on here.”

“There’s no point, Kelly. I’m sure he’s going somewhere to fuck her.”

Right after he fucked me.

“Follow them, Ally” she yelled, pointing in the direction the silver car had traveled.

I started my car, shifted quickly into drive and gunned it, spinning the rear tires in the process. I spotted the fancy car about a half a block ahead of me, stopped at the intersection of Nicollet and 7th street. I inhaled a cleansing breath through my nose because my heart was racing so rapidly it felt like I might pass out. What the hell was Faith doing with Gabe? Was that her expensive car? She definitely reeked of money and had since my first encounter with her.

Was he really with Faith again? I’d probably driven him right back into her arms and she was … she was everything that I wasn’t. I felt dirty all of a sudden. Less than.

Unworthy.

I bit the insides of my cheeks and kept the tears at bay. There might be an explanation for this. Who was I kidding? If there was a reasonable explanation for all of this, he would have offered it up by now, if only to save his own ass and keep sleeping with me. Funny, he was getting everything that he needed and I was getting nothing that I needed in return.

The Bentley’s rail lights were mean, but Gabe drove slowly through the snow, allowing me time to catch up.

Ten minutes passed, then fifteen, and finally he turned into a driveway outside a pair of massive, black wrought iron gates. They opened slowly, and he drove inside and parked in the circular drive of a mansion.

“What the —?” Kelly murmured. “No, it can’t be.”

“What is it?”

“What did you say Gabe’s surname was?” Kelly asked.

I stopped my car in front of the gate and rolled down the window to watch. Gabe helped Faith out of the car and a man appeared on the stairs, tall and greying, but wearing a suit. Imposing. Hot as hell and probably in his late fifties.

“Moreno,” I murmured, “Gabe Moreno, why?”

Kelly gasped. “This is Donovan Moreno’s house.”

“Who’s Donovan Moreno?” I frowned, unable to tear my eyes from the scene. Gabe shook hands with the man and Faith hugged him.

“Only the richest guy in Minneapolis. He’s a billionaire. Which means your friend Gabe is loaded by association.”

Kelly’s words tore through my mind. He’d kept something from me again. Just another lie in a long line of lies that shattered every last shred of trust I still held for him. A house of cards.

“What are you doing?” Kelly asked.

I stared at Gabe’s retreating back as he entered the two story brick house and jammed the car into reverse.

“It’s over.”